


Crashing Together

by Arytra



Series: Funding the Future Universe [4]
Category: Power Rangers, The West Wing
Genre: Donna is a saint, Gen, Justin is a good friend for Donna, Reference to Canonical Character Death, Therapy is a good thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-08
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-09-30 19:41:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10170368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arytra/pseuds/Arytra
Summary: With Josh already having problems from Rosslyn, Kim ends up with problems of her own when she deals with news from Terra Venture and the Galactic Ranger.  Leaving Donna to have to figure out how to handle both with a little help from Justin.





	

Kim didn't look at the paperwork. She didn't greet Donna back as she passed by her or acknowledge Josh. She only asked Mrs. Landingham and Charlie if the president was ready for her. She kept herself together, ignoring the outside world as she stood in front of Barlet and Fitzwallace. She was surprised her hand wasn't shaking when she handed them the documents. “I know that the Galactic Rangers are on another planet, but you still wanted to be updated on their status, Mr. President. I just got the reports. They have a new Pink Ranger. We believe she will be an asset t the team and was instrumental in getting an artifact of the Power back into our hands.”

Fitzwallace took the paperwork from her while President Barlet looked at her. “Why did the former Pink Ranger retire?” He asked. He knew that they passed on the morphers, that she had. It was friendly conversation and the president's need for knowledge that caused him to ask. Kim pushed down the rest of her feelings and tried to stay professional.

“I'm afraid she didn't, Mr. President. One week again, Kendrix Morgan, the former Pink Ranger gave her life to save Cassie Chan, the Pink Astro Ranger as well as all of Terra Venture,” she answered. She'd never had the chance to meet Kendrix, but all Rangers were family and this was one of her successors.

“Do you need to go to Terra Venture or Angel Grove?” Barlet asked her. She shook her head and tried to ignore the sympathy in Fitzwallace's eyes.

“No, Mr. President. They won't have any new information for me. The details are in the paperwork. I made sure to find out everything I could,” she said. He looked like he wanted to say more, but nodded toward the door instead. She grabbed the life line and walked out as fast as she could while retaining her mask. As before, she walked out of the building without speaking with anyone and found her way back to her apartment. 

She stumbled in, locking the door behind her, and made herself a smoothie before falling into a chair. She stared at it for a long while, waiting for any tears to well up, but she couldn't feel them. Instead, she felt empty. She drank about half of it before she fell asleep.

***

Donna was pretty sure she was either extremely worried about both Kim and Josh or she was going to have to kill them. Josh wasn't being Josh. His tone was biting, his words snappish. Toby got grumpy at Christmas time, not Josh, but it wasn't Toby who was blowing up right now. Well, no more than usual. Something was definitely wrong, but she didn't know what it was. She'd spoken to Toby about it when she realized that his face matched hers with trying to figure things out. They both just didn't know how bad it was going to get.

Kim, on the other hand, was distant. Her voice was emotionless half the time and she was withdrawn as if she was worried that if she let herself feel, she wouldn't be able to control it. Donna had tried to pull her out of it, but she couldn't. Instead, she just made sure the younger woman ate and fielded phone calls from the other Rangers.

“So, they both need serious help?” Justin asked as he chowed down on some sort of sandwich. He'd called her through the special computer that Billy had made for her. “Because it sounds like they need help.”

“I don't know how far to push it, Justin. I don't want to accidentally cost them their jobs,” Donna told him miserably. “And lying to Billy is hard.”

“Yeah, that's why I don't do it. He notices things,” Justin agreed. “You need me to head over there?”

“Rocky wouldn't be happy with that, Justin,” Donna reminded him “You're still a minor.”

“I'm a minor who has an active morpher, used to be a Power Ranger, and has a sentient car. And I'm on Winter Break. So, as long as I let him know before I leave, Rocky will be fine with it,” Justin answered. “That's why we have me with a former Ranger, Donna. Besides, we're on the same team, right? So it's helping a teammate.”

“I'm a little worried that you're justifying things so well,” she told him. “Have you considered that you should all be in therapy?”

“Pretty much daily but that would be breaking a promise so none of us will,” Justin answered easily. He paused for a minute. “How badly do you think she needs it?”

“I think you all need it,” Donna said.

“You're probably right. But like you said, it could cost them a lot,” Justin said. He was quiet for a minute, pensive, as he picked up a pen and tapped it a few times in thought. Then he looked back at her. “If you find a way to convince Josh to get help if he needs it, you'll be able to get Kim in. Not the rest of us. But her. Because it's a trust thing.”

“You guys made me promise not to tell anyone!” Donna reminded him. Justin shrugged.

“Look,” he said. “The rules said that we can't TELL anyone. It didn't say anything about others figuring it out. That's why we didn't get in trouble because you knew.”

Donna blinked. “So don't say it to the therapist...”

“But let them figure it out. Honestly, if they can't figure it out in five minutes? Get a new one anyway,” Justin answered. “I can still come up if you need me. Otherwise, I'll be up in April. My class is going on a field trip to D.C. and I want to visit Kim and you.”

“Okay,” Donna agreed. “And thanks, Justin.”

“Here if you need me!” He assured her. “Stormblaster says hi.”

“Tell him hi for me,” Donna answered and they hung up.

***

She let Leo know about Josh with Toby. It was quickly diagnosed and was exactly what they thought it was: PTSD. With that knowledge, he was able to start working through it. “He's doing better,” Kim said softly as she came up beside Donna.

“You're next,” Donna said. Kim looked at her in surprise. “No arguments. The therapist is good. He figured out who you were in under five minutes which was Justin's qualification. And since you didn't tell him, you're off the hook with the rule. Which is a stupid rule and I think that Zordon's people were just either immune to problems or he just never needed it or he thought you'd bounce back. Five teenagers who risk their lives for years on end need help, Kim. You were already hurting after he died. You're hurting worse now. And you won't even talk to us about it like you would when Zordon died.”

“I gave the president the report...” Kim started and Donna sighed, squeezing the younger woman's hand.

“You need to talk about it. I want you to be okay,” Donna said. She could see Josh making his way over though she wasn't sure if he was finally okay enough to see that Kim wasn't or if Donna was making the puppy's-been-kicked face again without meaning to.

“What's going on?” He asked.

“Nothing!” Kim snapped. Donna took a step back. Josh looked at Donna who gave a slight nod. Josh didn't concern himself with the consequences as he grabbed Kim's arm, put a hand on Donna's back, and led them both into his office.

“I think I missed a thing,” Josh said as he closed his door, folding his arms and leaning against it almost casually. Donna glanced at him.

“We lost a Ranger,” she said quietly, watching Kim's hands clench, though she didn't say anything. “Kendrix Morgan, the Pink Galactic Ranger.”

“By lost you mean...” Josh started and Kim cut him off.

“She died,” she said. “And I didn't know her.”

Josh looked at Donna who was biting her lip before turning back to Kim. “Didn't you almost die once?” He asked.

“Josh!” Donna called out in horror. Josh kept going.

“Too much pink or something like that, right? That's was right before you quit. But you were dying,” he said. Kim pulled herself up a bit and Donna was seriously worried that she was going to have to stop Kim from killing him. She had no doubts about who would win in a fight. “But you didn't.”

“And?” Kim asked, her teeth clenched.

“And you feel like somehow you should have died then. I mean, why did she die when you didn't?” He asked. Kim's anger died and Donna's heart clenched when she saw that Kim's expression agreed with her forceful boss.

“Oh Kim!” She said. Josh didn't move from the door though he did look away a bit.

“You were a kid,” he said. Donna decided to ignore the fact for now that that statement seemed to sound rehearsed, like he'd heard it a thousand times. “You didn't deserve to die.”

“And she did?” Kim asked. She could feel the tears starting to fall and Donna holding onto her.

“No,” Josh answered. “But she did. She still would have even if you had died.”

“I was the first,” Kim said. “I could have...”

“This is probably why Donna thinks you're crazy,” Josh told her. Donna groaned.

“Josh!”

“It might help,” he said. Kim sighed and gave a nod before turning to Donna.

“You must be exhausted,” she said with a slight smile. “Between Josh and me...”

“Justin helped,” she assured her. “Going to that reunion was the best idea ever.”

“You took Donna to a reunion?!” Josh asked. “How come I wasn't invited?”

“She's better behaved and the others told me to,” Kim answered, winking at Donna who smiled back. “And they argued over who got to keep her. Justin won because he has no team and knows to wait until everyone else is busy. The brat.”

“He needs it,” Donna said.

“He does. I think Josh should buy you some ice cream for being so patient,” Kim said.

“Hey!”

“And he should buy me some to make me feel better. Donna? Can you get the appointment set up?” she continued. 

Donna smiled and handed her a piece of paper. “I already did.”

“Ice cream!” Kim said, looking over at Josh with a grin. She linked her arm to Donna's and grabbed Josh as they headed out the door, passing him off to Donna who she knew would convince him to take them. Both women ignored his griping as they continued out the door, Donna relaxed as they argued, happy that things were starting to get back under control. Both of them still needed a lot of help, but it was a start. She made a promise to catch Justin up on things once she got home.


End file.
